A True Prince
by Kairia'sYami
Summary: What does it mean to be a "Prince"? Does it mean looks and riches? Or prestige and honor? Or maybe it means devoting your entire being to helping your people. Which one is it? It's time for Aladdin to find out. "You were a street rat, Al. But now you're not - I've given you a great opportunity. I'd take advantage of it." AU!
1. A Dream is a Wish Your Heart Makes

**A/N: Okay, so, I've had this in my head, and then parts of it typed out for a good year now, I just never got around to making it into an actual story. I got too stressed out about school as we got closer to spring break and I had tons of paper and tests due, so I decided to write this to relax.**

 **The idea for this came after watching Disney's Aladdin and I wondered what it actually meant to be a prince. Machiavelli's The Prince may have also starred in my ruminations.**

 **Premise: What happens when Genie takes Aladdin's wish to be a prince much more literally, and goes much deeper.**

 **SORRY! About the names of the people. See, I don't know any names from that area of the world, and I wouldn't know where to look. I live in America. So I just took names that exist in the movie and twisted them a little. For example, for one of Aladdin's "advisors", I took Jafar's name and made it Zafa.**

 **To be honest, I probably got a lot of stuff wrong and such, but just assume that that's because of Genie messing with the world. My idea is that this is an alternate universe loosely based in the Middle East. That's my explanation for all historical inaccuracies.**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own Aladdin.**

 **EDIT(5/25/18): Fixed some tense and point of view issues, made a few other minor changes like the phrasing of some things, etc. I also changed the slightest thing so that Diaus Biaraa wasn't created solely by Genie, but rather that its history was simply changed.**

* * *

In an oasis in the middle of the desert, something magical that would change reality itself is about to occur, centered around the four beings gathered there. A teenage boy, a genie, a monkey, and a magical rug.

"Genie, I wish for you to make me a prince." The dark haired boy declares, spreading out his arms and grinning at the blue being.

"Right away, Al!" The genie pulls up his "sleeves" and sets to work. He creates an outfit for the soon to be prince, planning to also create servants and riches as proof of his nobility.

Now, in another world, Genie would be satisfied with just the outward appearance of nobility, and the group would set off to Agrabah. He would not think that he needed to do anything more.

That is not the case here.

You see, Genie has existed for many millennia and has met enough princes to know that there is more to being a prince than riches, looks, attitude, and status. He knows that to be a good, effective prince, one must be educated, have manners, care for the common people, and actually _know_ how to rule a kingdom.

In that other world, Genie would ignore that knowledge - no need to go to so much effort for the latest person in a _long_ list of "masters". In this one, Genie embraces it, prideful enough to want to do his best of his master's wish, and goes above and beyond any of Aladdin's hopes and expectations.

And so he begins the job of bending reality itself - changing circumstance, heritage, and memory.

The world as it is now, is thus changed forever after.

* * *

"Your Highness! Your Highness, are you alright?!"

Hearing the frantic voice, Aladdin wakes up with a groan. He shakes his head and looks about himself in confusion. Where is he? His attention is drawn to the noble looking man kneeling next to him.

"Zafa? What...?" He asks dazedly, then blinks in shock. What was that? He doesn't know this man, but as he stares in confusion, memories and information flood into his head.

 _Last week I tricked Zafa into giving me a whole platter of extra food to give to Abu._ What?

 _"No slouching! It is not becoming of someone of your high status. And don't look down!"_ Instinctively, he straightens his spine and lifts his chin.

 _"Your Highness- Aladdin. I know you are shocked and distressed by this revelation, but know that your birth parents loved you very much. The kingdom was at war at the time of your birth, so they secretly gave you to a pair of trusted servants to raise you safely. They tragically died before they could tell anyone what they had done. We only recently found evidence of what happened to you. We are glad to find you, my Prince, after thirteen long years of searching."_ What? What is this nonsense? He isn't a prince! His parents were peasants - commoners!

 _"Al, I just heard that your parents are dead! Are you okay?"_  
 _"...I'm fine, Abu. Really."_

 _"Aladdin, honey, could you come here for a moment? We have something to tell you."_

 _. . ._

 _"What? What do you mean I'm adopted?! That can't-"_

 _"Aladdin, come back! Sweetheart, let us explain!"_

He shakes his head in disbelief. None of this is making sense! He never knew his parents, they died before he was even one, so they couldn't have told him he was adopted! (And in the back of his mind he's thinking, it's not fair, not fair at all, that he finally gets to know what his life would be like if his parents had lived to see him grow up and it's so happy and they are poor but not beggars and it turns out they _aren't even his parents how is that fair?_ )

"Your Highness? Are you alright? You look quite ill." Refocusing his eyes on the stranger - _Zafa, the youngest of my advisors, the nicest, the easiest to trick_ \- Aladdin shakes his head and tries to push himself up. Two men rush forward to help - _guards, there to protect me from those threats I can't handle myself_ \- and he lets them. Normally he would push away any help ('I can take care of myself, I've been doing it for my whole life'), but right now he is too confused to do anything.

They gently pull him out of the large room he woke up in - _the throne room, where I receive requests and listen to complaints of the people three times a week, where I am learning to act as Sultan of the great nation Diaus Biaraa, where I am forced to spend most of my time when I am unable sneak off_ ('but Diaus Biaraa was destroyed years ago-') - and down the hall.

As they walk, he observes the paintings and decorations and everything around him, and memories that were both his and not flow through his mind.

 _I scraped my knee there running around this place when I first got here._ ('I've never been here before.')

 _My tutoring sessions in reading and writing take place in that room. My teachers say that I am improving nicely._ ('I never learned how to read or write.')

On and on it goes as we walk in silence, two sets of memories contradicting each other, and soon he just closes his eyes and hangs his head to try and escape the onslaught of memories. ('They're not mine they can't be none of this makes any _sense_!')

Soon the group reaches a large, ornate door, which is pushed open with haste as those around their confused Prince worry. He opens his eyes and scans the extravagant room - _it's mine; That large bed there is where I sleep (it has to be the most comfortable thing in the world, everything I dreamed of as a poor child), and Abu sleeps in the smaller bed next to mine (but sometimes when I get homesick and I miss the people who raised me and the extravagance of everything gets to me he climbs into my bed and we cuddle together like we did when we were kids), and I used to use the balcony there to sneak out of the castle, so they closed it off, can't go having the young ruler of the kingdom running around in the real world without guards after all_ ('what is this Abu is a monkey I have never slept in a real bed at best I use a pile of hay with a worn cloth over it I don't understand what's happening') - and then pretty much just melts into the soft mattress he is set on. He begins to doze off as those around him murmur worriedly.

"What's wrong with him?!" While it doesn't wake him completely, the worried shout rouses Aladdin slightly. He rolls his head towards the voice and watches as a thin boy hurries to his side - _Abu, that's Abu, he's my best friend ever, we've known each other since I was seven and he was four; when my adoptive parents died, we stuck together like brothers; when the royal court came calling, I said I wouldn't go with them and cooperate unless he would come along; officially, he's my servant, but unofficially, he's my brother._ (Abu's a monkey, a _freaking monkey_ what's going _on_ ).

Abu is scrawny, and short, and has light brown hair, with very worried look on his face.

 _"Hahaha! Stop worrying Abu! You're such a worrywort! It'll be fine!~"_

 _"Maybe I wouldn't worry so much if you weren't so reckless Al!"_

His grey eyes, while worried, also look as confused as Aladdin feels, and he glances many times at a familiar golden lamp as he interrogates everyone about what happened to Aladdin.

The confusion and memories pile and his head pounds in time with his racing pulse. Squeezing shut his eyes Aladdin curls into a ball on the bed ('what _is_ this this can't be real it's too perfect') and tries his best to fall asleep. ('Maybe when I wake up the world will make sense.')

* * *

 **A/N: I hope you all enjoyed this. I have been doubting my writing skills because I don't do well on my history and english papers, but I'm hoping publishing this will get me my confidence back, because I really do love to write.**

 **Please tell me what you think, and what I can improve upon. Also, don't expect this to be updated much or fast. School is driving me to crazy levels of stress and I don't know when I'll have time to write again, especially with AP Exams and finals coming up.**

 **See ya!**


	2. I Just Can't Wait to Be King

**A/N: Wow, I'm disappointed in myself. It's been over a year since I first posted this. I'm so sorry to the few people following the story. .**

 **I just hope that this chapter is good. (Also I apologize in advance about everyone probably being massively out of character, but I especially apologize for Genie. I cannot write Genie right. Robin Williams was a genius I can't mimic in the slightest. I bring in my defense that this is an AU and I get to decide how I write them. I'm innocent, I swear.)**

 **Still don't own Aladdin.**

 **(P.S.: I've done a bit of editing to chapter one, nothing major but it just reads better so if you have time you could go check it out.)**

* * *

It is the glare of the sun that wakes him.

Rolling over in his soft bed, Aladdin thinks to himself, 'Wow, must have been a great haul yesterday if I'm letting myself sleep in. I've never slept after the sun rises except when I manage to get enough food to last several days.'

His brows furrow. 'Wait, why is my bed so soft? I feel like I'm on a cloud, not a sack of hay.' Groaning, he lifts his head slightly, not wanting to leave the heavenly bed he's in, but determined to solve the mystery. When his eyes open, he squints to block out the sunlight, and then stares in shock. "What the hell?! Where am I?"

The tap-tap-tap of quickly approaching feet draws his attention, and he turns to watch a short boy hurry up to him, relief on his face. "Al, thank god you're okay! We were all so worried!" At the blank look the boy received from Aladdin, his eyes widen in understanding. "Oh, Al, I know you're confused, but it's me, Abu! I don't know how, but I swear it's me!"

"...Abu? I don't-what? You're human? But-how are you Abu?"

"I don't know for sure, but I've been thinking about it and I'm almost positive it has something to do with that genie - and let me tell you, I might have been smart for a monkey, but as a human I'm so smart, I can't believe-"

Aladdin let his best friend continue to talk about the differences between being a monkey and a human ("Not much, to be honest, the two are really similar, see...") as he remembers the day before, trying to think back to the moment things changed.

 _"Genie, I wish for you to make me a prince."_

 _"Alright! Here we go!"_

'So this is all because of my wish...what did Genie do? I have to ask him, but where-the lamp!' Aladdin lunges out of the bed, startling Abu with his sudden movement, grabbing the lamp that he vaguely remembers to have set on the bedside table yesterday.

He lands on his side on the floor, and his body protests the sudden movements. He rubs the side and coughs as the lamp erupts into smoke. Genie appears with a wide yawn and a shout. "Ah, that was a great nap! Hey Al! I see you're getting settled in! I'm glad, I put a lot of work into fulfilling your wish!"

"Genie, what's going on? Why, do I have all these conflicting memories, and-and why and how is Abu a human, and-why do these people recognize me as a _prince_?!" Aladdin's voice rises into nearly a shriek by the end of his sentence, and he's worked himself into a nervous frenzy by the end.

"What'd'ya mean, Al? I made you a prince, like you wished! I almost just stuck you into a Prince's clothes and gave you a bunch of wealth, but there's more to being a prince than clothing and money! I should know! Doing anything less than my best work would be lazy of me, and would bring me shame! So I made you a _true_ Prince!"

Aladdin feels dread begin to churn in his stomach. He doesn't know how to be a Prince, he doesn't know how to be the ruler of a kingdom - he had just had a crush on a girl he met once and was supremely out of his league! He hadn't meant to completely change the entire universe!

Before he can say any of this however, Genie speaks. His voice is oddly stern, and it doesn't really fit the jolly blue being. "You were a street rat, Al. But now you're not - I've given you a great opportunity. I'd take advantage of it."

As Genie says this, he realizes something - digging into his memories, he can remember lessons, on how to be a prince, on what a prince does, how a prince serves his country, everything. He is in no way _ready_ to be king and truly lead his ( _new_ ) home, he had slacked off in lessons, still trying to get used to his new circumstances, but he won't be floundering, not in this.

And - something he remembers from his past- _true_ -life. The nation of Diaus Biaraa was destroyed years ago. He recalls hearing whispers and rumors in the market as he staked out a stall, about how the once prosperous nation fell apart as greedy nobles fought over who would rule after the childless Monarchs died. _In this world, they weren't childless. They had me and -_ And he remembers all the refugees from Diaus Biaraa, how so many of those fellow street rats he remembers were survivors of the fall of that country.

He is still unsure, and skeptical, and scared of this new reality. He does not feel confident in his ability to lead this large nation. But the soft, compassionate part of him that he's had to stomp down and hide away for years is whispering in his head - _those people won't have to ever know the pain of starvation, the fear of death and of being caught stealing, because I'm here. I can help them, be a strong leader for them, do my best to make this land the most prosperous and equal land in the world._

He takes a deep breath, and turns his attention back to Genie and Abu. They are staring at him, both of them seeming concerned. He straightens as best he can from his position sprawled on the floor and adopts his most serious and regal expression. ( _It's not very impressive, to be honest, but he's trying._ )

He doesn't really know what's going on, but he does know this - "I am going to be the best Sultan this world has ever seen. I am going to make Diaus Biaraa the happiest place on Earth.

* * *

 _This,_ he thinks to himself as he recalls his grand declaration, _might be harder than I thought it would._

He is back in his ( _heavenly_ ) bed, and his three advisors surround him now.

"You have been unconscious for several days," Zafa had told him when he first arrived and saw Aladdin awake. "And no medicine could rouse you."

"We have all been so worried," the oldest of them, Haim, had claimed. "We did not know what to do."

"Your parents would kill us," the wisest of them, Malu, told him fondly, "if we let you die so soon after you were brought back."

Now, they are discussing the events that happened while he was unconscious. "One of the servants told a relative that Your Highness was ill. While still considered an unconfirmed rumor, there have been many people coming to wish you well. Three entire rooms have been filled with get well gifts from your people, and so far at least 10 men have been stopped from sneaking in to see you in concern." Zafa tells him, humor in his voice.

At Aladdin's surprised look, Malu laughed. "Did you not think your people cared for you, my Prince? You may be new to princehood, but because of your experiences as a commoner yourself, you have made a very good impression on the common folk." He gives Aladdin a stern glance. "Though that is not me encouraging your frequent expeditions to town. You are much too unprotected by yourself, and you have not yet progressed far enough in your training to adequately defend yourself from threats. Our nation is still recovering. Dangers still lurk in the dark parts of our Kingdom."

Still reeling from the knowledge that he is beloved by hundreds of people, when before people had literally threatened to tear him apart for stealing a single loaf of bread, he gives little thought to Malu's scolding. He feels a warmth in his chest, and he is startled to realize that it is affection, for those unnamed people who are so concerned for him, when they might be barely getting by themselves.

He will not tire of saying that he doesn't really know what is going on, or what he should do, because he has a long way to go, but he thinks that maybe, just maybe, if he has the support of these kind, kind people, that he might just be able to do this.

* * *

 **A/N: Welp that's done. I almost stopped at Aladdin's declaration to Abu and Genie, but I thought that was too short, so I added that last bit to make it longer.**

 ***Listens* Oh, when will the next chapter be out? Oh, ahahaha...I have no idea. (I mean, I'm done with High School for forever now, so I'm going to have so much more time, so I should have more time to write and stuff, but...)**

 **I have a basic plan for this story - the next three or so chapters are going to be fleshing out Aladdin's life as a prince in Diaus Biaraa, the chapter after those is going to be introspection by Al about Jasmine and how he feels for her and if it's truly love, etc. Then, finally, we'll arrive in Agrabah. Yay! *Confetti flies everywhere* After that...*shrugs* I'm thinking I won't have romance in this story, despite it being based on a Disney movie, since I want to focus on the prince aspect.**

 **Anywho, hope you all enjoy, and don't get your hopes up for an update anytime soon!**


	3. I See the Light

**A/N: Whoo! New chapter!**

 **Can I say "Yay I got it out fast" or has it been too long? It's certainly fast compared to my last update so...**

 **Anyway, so I think it's clear in the story, but just in case it's not, I'll clarify: Aladdin is 18 at the beginning of the movie and when he makes his wish.**

 **Then, because of timey-wimey stuff, he is around 15 and a half (or so) when he wakes up in this alternative reality. The AU!Aladdin was found and brought to the palace when he was around 15, so it's been a bit less than half a year.**

 **There is a time skip in this chapter, of about a half year, so Al is now 16 and there is a little less than 2 years until it's time for canon and for Al to head to Agrabah. Yay!**

 **Also, I realized after writing this chapter that the Magic Carpet seemingly disappeared in the first two, so let's just say that most of the time it's been pretending to be a normal carpet, or just chilling around in the air by itself. I don't much know what to do with it (him?).**

 **Still don't own.**

 **(P.S.: There is the slightest Tangled reference, which I didn't even notice until I was editing the chapter. Cheers if you catch it.)**

 **ALSO TO THE GUEST REVIEWER CALLED BETTY, GO AHEAD AND TRANSLATE THIS FIC IF YOU WANT, JUST MAKE SURE TO CREDIT ME IF YOU DO.**

* * *

Aladdin has always been jealous of those children whose parents had enough money to send them to the school every Sunday. He had gone a total of one time, as a child, and he learned how to read and write his name - but then he couldn't go back, as he began to become known for his thieving ways and had to avoid being in public too often.

This fact, unfortunately, means that his brain is not well accustomed to learning while sitting in a room. He has so many lessons he must take - there is History of the Nation, History of the World, Etiquette, Politics, Economics, Languages (and he is learning so _many_ he doesn't know how he will remember it all in addition to everything else _I never even knew that there were so many places in the world for there to be that many languages_ ), Strategy, Diplomacy, Calligraphy, Literature, Writing, and Mathematics. Oddly enough, of all his classes, it is strategy that comes the easiest to him.

When he was still on the streets ( _and it felt like yesterday and yet years ago at the same time_ ), he would create complex plans when he was targeting particularly high-risk groups - such as the High Duke Latheem's greatest jewels when he was twelve ( _and I made a killing selling those to the Black Market, that was a good couple months_ ). And each of his complex plans would have backup plans upon backup plans, contingencies upon contingencies, prepared for every eventuality. He had been caught once, just once, without any kind of backup plan and- Well. He learned his lesson.

So. Strategy, while more complicated on such a large scale, is not so hard to him as the others are. As the days go by, the material becomes harder, but his brain becomes accustomed at last to learning, and it is not so difficult to focus.

Calligraphy will never be something he excels at - he simply does not have the patience to perfectly craft the characters, nor the passion, but he manages.

He soon settles into a nice, if busy, routine. After breakfast (which contains more food in that one meal than he once would have in several days), and lessons that were arranged on a rotating schedule, and then lunch (even _more_ food and wow it's amazing but daunting and a little disgusting how much of a difference class makes) he either spends several hours in the throne room, answering his people's requests, or he goes for a nice walk, or sometimes he receives from his guards just a little more defense training. And after that is more lessons and then dinner (how do they have so much food _why did I ever have to go hungry if there was this much food in the world?_ ).

(A couple weeks into his new life, he remembers throwing a bit of a tantrum. He was finally beginning to settle into this new life a little, and he finally felt secure enough to let loose. It was the food that finally got him - he was so, so disgusted by the fact that he had so much food at his fingertips, to eat until he was sick and then _throw away_ perfectly good food, when he knew that so many people in Agrabah were starving and dying.

Apparently, Diaus Biaraa was a much kinder place than Agrabah. They have much more support for orphans so children wouldn't starve on the street, and the unemployed and "untouchables" were much fewer in this country. The previous king and queen ( _his parents_ ) cared very dearly for all of their people, not just the rich ones.

He was slightly appeased, but it didn't stop him from trying to sneak new laws in to fix the class disparity at the meetings his advisors hold every week. He hasn't quite succeeded yet, there are budget issues and corrupt nobles always standing in his way, but he won't stop until no one went hungry under his rule. He is determined.)

After dinner he goes back to his room, to spend time with Abu and Genie, and the Magic Carpet when it isn't moping about not being used. (There's little chance for the recently-found-after-being-missing-for-over-a-decade Crown Prince to go for long flights on a magic carpet. No one would let it happen, and after the heart attacks he gave his guards after the first and last time he tried it, Aladdin figured he better wait a little longer before trying to pull anything else) Abu, despite his previous experience as a monkey, or maybe because of it, is a very deep thinker and a great conversationalist. Genie, when not being a total goofball, can be extraordinarily insightful - and with his long lifespan, he has a lot of anecdotes to share. Magic Carpet is just cozy to lie on and relax - it doesn't talk much.

The weekends are his to do as he wishes (unless something urgent comes up, and the first time there was an emergency and Aladdin had to deal with it, he almost broke down crying from the stress and the fear of failing), and it is those days that he makes his attempts to sneak out and enjoy the lower town. They are not always successful, but when they are, he enjoys himself exploring the place he has made his home.

And time passes like this, a week, then a month, and then all of a sudden he has been in this new reality for half a year, and he is treating the Palace as his home, and he has almost forgotten what Abu looked like with fur, and he has forgotten what it is like to go hungry, and no longer do the memories of this reality disturb him. He enjoys helping his people, who adore him nearly as much as he adores them. He is happy. He is so, so, _so_ happy.

He sits in his room for near an hour, when he realizes how much and how suddenly his life has changed, but no matter how much he tries, he cannot find it in himself to regret the events that lead to where he is today.

Then, it is his 16th birthday ( _again_ ) and there is a large festival to celebrate the first birthday for the Prince where the Prince is actually there to attend. ( _It is so different from his last 16th birthday, where he spent the whole day like he spent most of his days - starving and stealing food to survive._ ) Before, there had only been a memorial, to remember the Sultan and his Wife, and to hope that perhaps, their missing Prince would notice and come home.

It is a joyous occasion, and Aladdin has so much fun spending time with his people, without having to worry about being dragged back to the palace. They know him, because of the grand ceremony that announced his return months ago, but also because he manages to sneak out of the Palace at least every other week, so he is a familiar enough face to the townspeople.

He dances with everyone he can, women, men, children, teens, he doesn't care. He is the star of the party, all of this effort and extravagance is for him, and he will not allow himself to be stuffy and uptight like so many of his fellow nobles are on their birthdays.

He eats all the food he can, talks to everyone he manages to meet, laughs and dances and sings and just - _enjoys_ himself, purely, with no doubts or worries or cares.

The day flies by, and soon it is evening, and calm, beautiful sound of music rings throughout the town. The sunset is gorgeous, and he revels at the peace and joy that rings through the air. People dance slowly with their loved ones, families lounge together, and he imagines that this is what Paradise is. That this, peace and beauty and joy and contentedness and the overwhelming sense of being loved as much as you love, is the true meaning of life and living.

He wishes that this happiness could last forever.

He wishes. Realization strikes - _he wishes._

"Genie." He murmurs, keeping his eyes on the beautiful horizon. "If I wished it...could you make it so that my people, this kingdom, would always prosper? So that, even in bad times, my people will simply grow stronger, not colder?"

Genie, who for this occasion has taken the form of an earring in his left ear, is silent for a moment, then answers. "Yeah, I can do that buddy. Is that your second wish? You sure?" Maybe one day, when something big comes up, he will regret using up this wish so soon. But right now, he can think of no wish better than the happiness of his people. When Aladdin nods solemnly, Genie laughs fondly. "You gotta say it right, Al."

Aladdin takes a deep breath, before saying his wish softly into the open air. "Genie, I wish that the great nation of Diaus Biaraa will forever and always be prosperous, that no matter the hardships, people will stay kind and good and strong in the face of darkness, shining through to the light."

"You got it, pal." There's warmth in Genie's voice.

This wish - unlike his first - does not have an instant, obvious result. But in his chest, Aladdin feels something settle, and he closes his eyes with a soft smile.

As the music continues and the sun draws nearer to the horizon, he can't help but relax completely.

 _This has been the best day of my life._

* * *

Several days later, Aladdin lies in his bed after a long day of lessons and decision-making. Genie is talking in the background something about matchmakers or undertakers or something (Aladdin is tired and isn't paying him much attention, truthfully). It is just Aladdin and Genie in his room, Abu off having to complete some of his own duties as the Prince's Manservant (though he isn't really treated like a servant), and the Magic Carpet having gotten bored a couple days ago and gone to sulk in some clouds.

He remembers a promise he made, a year ago.

 _"...I promise. After I make my first two wishes, I'll use my third wish to set you free."_

He's made his second wish, and his promise is looming over him. _Genie has been looking somewhat tense the past several days,_ he realizes. _Since I made my second wish._ He thinks that maybe, Genie is struggling between his hope for freedom and his past experiences with selfish masters.

 _Well_ , Aladdin decides, _no more._ He made a promise, and as enticing as it is to ponder his third and final wish, as much as he's thought of so many things he could wish for with Genie's power, Genie has become a dear friend the past several months. Aladdin would feel awful condemning his cheerful friend to the hellish experience he had described for the next millennia or so. _Phenomenal cosmic power, itty bitty living space he said? Sounds awful._

Pausing to settle his thoughts and make sure Genie is here in the room with him, and not gallivanting about in the Gardens or somewhere like he often does, he makes up his mind.

"Genie, I wish for your freedom." His words, spoken quietly into the silent room, shock Genie. He freezes in the middle of his rant, and stares with heartbreaking hope at Aladdin, his eyes begging Aladdin that he heard true.

"What?"

"You're free," Aladdin says, holding up Genie's golden lamp to the blue being. As he does, blue smokes seeps out of the opening of the lamp, swirling around Genie. He laughs in startled awe, and as the mist clears a minute later, Genie stands before Aladdin, tail replaced by legs, and the golden bands around his wrists broken off. He looks more happy, more genuinely happy, than he ever has in Aladdin's entire time knowing him.

He sounds like he goings to cry as he says "I'm free. I'm free." He stands for several moments, marveling at his bare wrists, before turning to the pleased Aladdin, almost frantic. "Wish for something outrageous! Say I- I wish for the Nile, I wish for the Nile. Try that."

Humoring him, Aladdin complies. "I wish for the Nile?"

Genie laughs joyfully when he feels no compulsion making him grant the wish. "NO WAY!" He explodes into motion, fireworks and colors and sounds bursting into existence as he expresses his happiness. "Oh does it feel good! I'm free! I'M FREE!"

Aladdin grins at the exuberant being and laughs at his bouncing. Soon, Genie stops his fireworks and begins to pack a suitcase with clothes that appear out of nowhere. "I'm going to see the world!" He shouts, and pops into tourist cloths.

He pauses, and turns to Aladdin, suddenly unsure. "You're - okay? I don't want to just suddenly abandon you or-"

Shaking his head, Aladdin interrupts. "Genie, don't worry about me. You've already done so much to help me, I could never repay you. Go. Have your vacation." He grins a little sadly at the thought of his friend leaving, but he would never limit Genie's desires just because he'd miss him. "Just make sure you come visit sometime, ya hear?"

Nodding his head, Genie pauses one more time before he leaves. "Here," he says. "So you don't forget about me." He snaps his fingers and Aladdin finds himself wearing a pair of blue earrings, identical to the one Genie would often disguise himself as.

Then, with a final shouted "Toodles!" from the blue being, Genie shoots off into the atmosphere, gleefully laughing the whole way.

Aladdin fingers the earrings fondly, and says with a grin, "As if I could ever forget you, buddy."

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 **A/N: Okay, wow that was fun. I actually had no idea where I was going with this chapter beyond a basic "build-up of the characters and pre-canon," but I like where it went.**

 **I hope you like what I did with the wishing and stuff. I was afraid it was too rushed, but I couldn't really tell. And the wishing Genie free was basically a transcript from the movie, I didn't know what to do there, sorry.**

 **Please give me feedback! I'd really appreciate you guys pointing out any mistakes I've made!  
**


	4. Reflection

**A/N: Chapter 4. Wow. I am impressed, truly I am. I've written more for other fics, but those were either silly or co-written. This is my baby, and I care about it. I want to actually finish this one. It's kinda an odd feeling.**

 **Honestly I had a bunch of trouble writing this one, because I wasn't sure what I wanted to do with it, but I'm not yet ready to head to Agrabah, so... (Also, I've been in Japan, and then jetlag freaking sucks so much, so I haven't had much chance to do any writing.)**

 **I managed.**

 **To the guest review: I'm still thinking on how Aladdin's second wish is going to play out, and I hope I don't disappoint when it eventually gets to that point.**

 **Also please excuse any "inaccuracies" in geography or whatever, I'm maintaining that Aladdin takes place in an alternate version of our Middle East, so that's why there are differences in Agrabah and such.**

 **Anyway, here we go.**

 **TIMESKIP OF ABOUT A YEAR.**

 **Still don't own Aladdin. The idea is mine though.**

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As a street rat, whose days were spent scrounging for whatever he could find just to make it to the next day, Aladdin had never paid much attention to foreign countries or politics or, honestly, anything other than surviving. Despite this fact, even he had heard stories about the great nation of Diaus Biaraa. Sometimes, if he had been particularly successful one day, he would relax and listen in on the talk in the market - even after it's fall, Diaus Biaraa had been a hot topic for the gossipmongers.

Now, with his sparse knowledge of his new nation's history being supplemented by actual history lessons, he can appreciate even more the amazing opportunity he has been given.

Diaus Biaraa was and remains a rich and prosperous nation, and it has been so for many centuries, due in large part to its close proximity to not only the ocean, making it ideal for trade, but also to the largest body of freshwater on the continent. However, for those same reasons, it has always been a constant target for attacks, invasions and sabotage. There had been many hard times for the people of Diaus Biaraa, and many times the country had come so close to destruction, but they endured.

In Aladdin's home reality, around the time of his birth, Diaus Biaraa had begun its fall due to a series of unfortunate and consecutive happenings. In the span of only a few years, the nation had been attacked, followed by a devastating drought and an invasion by an opportunistic neighbor. The country survived but was in ruins, and when their beloved monarchs died without an heir not much later in yet another war, morale hit an all time low and civil war raged for nearly seven years. Eventually, there was nothing left of the once great nation - nothing except the hundreds of thousands of destitute, displaced citizens, who were forced to flee to other kingdoms. Agrabah, as Diaus Biaraa's most peaceful neighbor and with its soft sultan, had been most refugees' preferred destination.

Now - though there remains many problems, such as frequent raids by bandits, unfair trade agreements by impatient and greedy neighbors, and crops that are still recovering from the long drought - now, his people have someone, they have _him_ , Aladdin, the once street rat, and though he struggles no one can deny the good he has done in the near two years of his reign.

(He'd asked Genie, not long after waking up in this new reality and realizing where he was, about what, exactly, Aladdin's wish had done. _How could a long destroyed nation simply come back? What would happen if he ever returned to Agrabah? This all an illusion...right?_ Genie's explanation had been complicated, very much so, especially for the uneducated ex-street rat, but finally he managed to somewhat understand things.

At its most basic, what Genie had done was rewrite time itself. Aladdin, as he had been before, the street rat with no parents and only a small monkey for his friend, no longer exists - in fact, he had never existed at all, now. Anyone who had ever met him, simply forgot he had ever lived - or rather, had never met him at all.

Aladdin was shocked, and a little distraught - Did someone take his place in history? Is there someone walking around with his life but a different face and name, stealing in his place, running from guards and meeting the beautiful Princess Jasmine instead of Aladdin?

When asked, Genie just shrugged. "I dunno, Al." He had said. "I've honestly never used my powers to this extent before." Seeing Aladdin's depressed slump at his words, Genie had tried his best to reassure his friend. "But, Al, you're a unique person. Even if there is someone else who exists in your place, he won't ever be _you_.")

So despite his doubts and worries and the times he wonders how good of a Prince he actually is, despite all of the negative thoughts that crowd his head, he pushes through. He learns how to hold court and how to manage the spoiled nobles who make up his court and how to deal with the older, more hardened of those nobles, who are bitter that this upstart with no experience is now their better. He learns that as much as he yearns to always be merciful, there are some things that force him to shed the kind person he had finally been able to become without fear. Sometimes, he needs to use the sharp, cruel part of him that had been honed by an entire life in the underworld of Agrabah - where kindness, while admirable, does you little help in the fight to survive.

(Aladdin wonders, sometimes, in the moments when he feels like he is an imposter, a fake, if his parents from his original life, who had died before he ever knew them, are alive here. He had never known how they had died - maybe without him in their lives as a hindrance, they are still alive, happy. Maybe they have several not-him children, and live in a comfortable house and never have to worry about food. Or maybe they are still dead, and his existence had no impact on their lives. Either way, there is no way he'll ever find out, not as a Prince of another nation altogether, and not with his lack of knowledge of his parents' identity. He tries very hard not to think like that. He doesn't always succeed.

He wonders if maybe Aladdin, the street rat, really was as worthless as people had always claimed. If anyone would have missed him, had there been anyone to miss. He knows the answer, and so he never dwells on those thoughts for long.)

In these constant moments of hardship, when he feels like he can't do anything right and he is letting his people down, Aladdin can feel his wish at work. He can almost feel it seep into homes and families that have been destroyed, fold itself into the hugs between loved ones as they part and reunite. The nation mourns, for the feelings of loss can never be appeased by a wish, but now there is a solidarity within his nation, and maybe, without his wish, they could have survived these hard times, but they wouldn't have had the companions and the steadfast knowledge that, eventually, everything would be alright.

* * *

 **A/N: So this chapter is basically a bunch of setup and background and introspection, because I have plans but they are all still like baby plans and I'm not ready to let them free into the world yet.**

 **Honestly, the document I'm typing this on is full of a bunch of different colored rambles as I try to straighten out all my ideas, I don't even know what to do with myself. (Someone please help me with what I'm supposed to do with Cassim? And Aladdin's unnamed mother who in one version is called Widow Twankey? This chapter has some of my own musings about Al's original parents mixed into his own, so if anyone has any ideas please tell me.)**

 **Anyway, hope you guys liked this, I really did try. T . T**

 **PLEASE give me constructive criticism, it is so vital to the continuation of this story.**


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